Questioning the Government on police funding and crime

I raised the recent spate of crime in Hoyland, Hoyland Common and Elsecar with the Home Secretary in the House of Commons today - you can watch my comments here.

Despite the Minister’s answer, not a penny of funds from this Government will go towards tackling crime in Barnsley. Their funding settlement puts the burden onto local Council Tax payers and will mean areas like Barnsley will not be able to raise anywhere near as much as the Tory shires. Hard working residents here in Barnsley should not be forced to foot the bill and plug the gaps left by Tory cuts through their Council Tax.

With almost 600 fewer officers on our streets across South Yorkshire since 2010, the Tories are trying to tackle crime on the cheap. It’s residents and businesses like those affected by the recent spate of crime here in Barnsley who are paying the price. This is totally unacceptable – I will be writing to the Home Secretary to press him further on this funding inequality, and I will be meeting with local police later this week.

You can read my recent column in the Barnsley Chronicle on this issue here, and you can share your views on crime by filling out my crime survey here.